


An Unfair Predicament

by That_1_Name



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series), Karate Kid (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a sort-of happy ending?, Eventual Relationships, F/M, Fluff, Future LawRusso, Got to cook this ship slowly till it's good and ready, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Set-Up, Single Parent Daniel, Single Parent Johnny
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:22:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25605787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/That_1_Name/pseuds/That_1_Name
Summary: 3 months. That was how long Johnny was able to enjoy what it was like to have a normal life.You can't control the hand you're dealt in life, but you learn how to adapt and just enjoy the game.
Relationships: Amanda LaRusso/Daniel LaRusso, Shannon Keene/Johnny Lawrence
Comments: 7
Kudos: 46





	1. How long it takes to make a family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny learns what makes a family.

3 months. That was how long Johnny was able to enjoy what it was like to have a normal life. When he held his son, Robby, for the first time, he felt something spark in his chest. Looking down at his eyes as they peeked up at him, a color he gotten from his mother, the feeling nearly knocked him off his feet, tears threatened to breakthrough from a side of himself he thought had been long broken. Not broken after all but just waiting for something to give it a reason to wake up. He held his son close and savored that sensation that he would come to call love; so swept up in his own euphoria, his eyes turned blind as he passed Robby to his mother that he didn’t notice the missing spark in her eyes.

The first month, Johnny started working longer hours to help pay for the extra necessities they would need to help raise Robby. He wouldn’t get home till late into the day, exhausted, but, upon seeing his gurgling little boy, he would scoop him up and be reminded of who the long hours were for. Shannon would watch the two, her own exhaustion from watching and caring for Robby not once being magically lifted as easily as it was for Johnny. She started to wonder why it was so easy for him to just love their son and what does it say about her that she couldn’t really return the sentiment.

The second month, Shannon, alone in Johnny’s apartment, would watch the world outside the window continue forward. She would begin to feel like her life had come to a sudden end. So long ago were the days where she could get anything she wanted with a wink and a friendly touch on the back of a hand, and she started to see her own life fade away. Her resentment flew around her with no clear target. Sometimes she would take it out on Johnny by ignoring him. His hand would gently trail over her arm, a soft kiss planted to the back of her head in the dark of their bedroom, but she would simply say, “Not tonight, Johnny.” And his hand would slink away quickly, leaving her to her own peace, which started to feel lonely and suffocating with him. Every caress, each kiss all felt bland like she was eating the same meal every day, and her stomach could only take so much.

The third month, the two had taken a trip out to the beach, Johnny carried Robby in his baby carrier while Shannon hunted for a spot. Her bikini garnered a flirtatious compliment from Johnny, which fell on deaf ears. She excused herself to go take a quick dip in the waters, leaving Johnny to look after Robby, figuring it was his time to do some parenting for a change. Out in the shallows, she was approached by a surfer, whose eyes were roving over her body. He was handsome, sun-kissed skin, chiseled features, and carried an air of confidence, which in her time hitting up bars usually were reserved for those who had money. She smiled at him, batted her eyelashes in a coy fashion, and he was hooked. Before she could lure him in with her charm, Johnny came bounding into the water with Robby, smiling widely and laughing, “Shannon! You won’t believe what our kid just did. Go ahead, show mommy what you did, Robby.” Robby gurgled but lifted both his hands up as he kicked out.

“Ha, you see that?”

Shannon was mortified, and the handsome surfer took this opportunity to leave, a look of embarrassment on his face as he left.

“Our little man is already doing karate. I bet he’s going to be a natural,” Johnny happily sang out as he lifted his son into the air, earning a giggle from the boy. Shannon looked at the two and felt a sudden realization: these two were strangers to her. The next few days, Johnny wouldn’t notice how she became more distant, or how little by little her things would start disappearing from his apartment. One morning, on a weekend where Johnny had off, he woke up to find Shannon’s side of the bed empty and a letter on the bedside table addressed to him in her writing.

_Dear Johnny,_

_I’m sorry it had come to this. I was hoping you would’ve noticed sooner, but you were too lost in your own fantasy of being a father that I doubted you ever would’ve noticed. I’m gonna be frank, I’m not ready for this life with you. I thought during those nine months that it would just happen when Robby was born. I would just hold him and I would feel that instinct, that love to be his mother, but I didn’t. I figured it would come later, but with each passing day it never came and I felt more and more alone in what was supposed to be our home, which instead felt more like a prison to me. I’m sorry, Johnny, but I can’t be Robby’s mother. I wish you both the best of luck._

_-Shannon_

How long did Johnny sit there on the bed reading that letter over and over again, scanning over each sentence to see if he might’ve misread something? It wasn’t until he heard Robby cry out that he was ripped from his spiraling thoughts. His instincts kicked in and he dashed out into the living room where his crib was. He took up his son, “Shh, it’s ok, what’s wrong, kid?” He bounced his son in his arms, trying to stop his crying but failing. He could feel the strain of his brain trying to both figure out what he could need while also dealing with the emotional weight of Shannon’s sudden (well not sudden now, he figures) departure.

“It’ll be ok,” he spoke out, voice betraying the words as it started to crack apart.

He fell into the recliner, Robby’s crying in one ear, and the echoes of the letter in the other. Thoughts came of how easy it was for her to just leave, abandon them. _I could just leave too, couldn’t I? Leave Robby at a fire station and run off. Would it be better for him? Could I really raise him on my own? No, I . . . I-_

Robby spat up onto Johnny’s shirt, snapping him out of his train of thought. “Ugh, Robby, warn a guy next time.” He nestled Robby into a one arm hold as he rushed over to the sink to grab a wet washcloth to dab at the baby vomit. Robby settled down a little but still gave a weak cry. He decided to leave his shirt in the sink as he gave his full attention to his son to figure out what was wrong. It didn’t take long with the smell coming off of him. Johnny thanked God for the fact that Shannon had him change enough diapers so he could do it alone now. Lifting up a freshly cleaned and changed Robby, who was calm now, his eyes looked down at him. A defenseless baby who had no idea that one of his parents just left and the one currently holding him had contemplated the same thing. Remembering that he did consider abandoning his son for even a second had memories of his own childhood rushing back of a home with no father. Sid’s vicious uncaring face taking the place of a father, but not the kind father he wanted. The kind of father he wished he had . . . that he wants Robby to have.

“Don’t worry, Robby, I’m not going anywhere.” He settled back in the recliner, letting the world and the breaking of his heart slip away as he held the only person who mattered.


	2. How long it takes to mend a heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel gains and losses all within the span of a few minutes.

3 months. That was how long it took for Daniel to get a semblance of a normal life back. When he held his daughter, Samantha, for the first time, he was overcome with a feeling so strong that it rendered him speechless. Words failed as his heart swelled to make room for all the love he wanted to give his little girl. When he looked to his wife to see if she shared his affection, her eyes looked back with dying embers and a weak smile. Just as suddenly as his heart was filled it was struck and emptied out. Daniel fell away, his daughter being taken from his arms barely registering while the doctor and nurses rushed to revive a life. Sitting alone outside in the hallway, all Daniel could do was cry, but he couldn’t tell what kind of tears were falling.

The weeks to follow were a fog in his head, faces blended together that came up to offer their condolences. The only one that broke through the haze and was able to reach him was Mr. Miyagi. His old, wizened face offering him a strained smile, refusing to add to the miasma of tears and frowns that has been circling around Daniel for weeks now. Sitting at his kitchen table, Samantha sleeping soundly without care in a nearby bassinet, he said nothing to his friend. His tongue couldn’t really even come up with the right thing to say in this situation, so the two waited in silence for something to happen. Daniel’s breath became uneven with how foreign the air in his own home felt, like there was something missing. It got too much for him that he had to speak just to prove to himself that there was nothing wrong in his home, that it was all just in his head, that things can go back to normal if he could just find a way to fill that absence. “Do . . . do you got something to say? You know, some . . . advice?” He only wished his voice would stop betraying him with how pathetically weak it sounded in his own ear. So desperate like a child pulling on his parent’s pants leg to be reassured that the world wasn’t so bad.

Mr. Miyagi took a deep breath, squaring a look at his dearest friend that held an air of empathy that could only come from those who had experience such grief of losing a loved one. Daniel wished he knew what was going on through his friend’s head, but his own mind was already being unraveled with each passing second that he said nothing. All he could make out was that sad look in his eyes aimed right at him. “No, Daniel-san, have nothing to say. Only can. . . be here.” His mouth tightened, eyes watering. Daniel had to swallow back to keep from breaking down in front of his closest friend, but he failed even that.

The first month had Daniel’s mother moving into the house, and the terrible part was that he didn’t even noticed when she did. Waking up and dragging himself out of bed took all of his focus that he barely had enough to keep in mind that he had to check in on Samantha often. In all honesty, a part of him was thankful when his mother suddenly showed up and just occupied the space with him. He still recalled the first time that he was really left alone in that house with just his daughter as company. Ever since the news of _her_ death got around, his house always seemed to have an endless stream of people in it, and even Mr. Miyagi took it upon himself to take up a temporary residence, but one day he had to leave to tend to some matters at his own house. (Tend to his own life.) When the door closed, the atmosphere of the house became too quiet. He was suddenly all too aware of the vast empty spaces where another body would normally occupy, and he found himself walking tirelessly around the house, hoping to fill up as much of the rooms with some sense of fullness.

That was when her cry poured out like a raging river and flowed seamlessly into those vacant spots he hadn’t reached. The sound broke him because it was not the right fit in his head. He longed for that feeling he felt when he first held his daughter; that warmth that was so suddenly taken from him. He was scared because he suddenly felt that something in him broke and that it will never be fixed. In the panic and grief that wrapped around him, he couldn’t recall when his mother had arrived at the house or when she must’ve sat him down in the living room because he knows he was standing somewhere upstairs for what felt to him like a few minutes ago. She had Samantha in her arms, tending to her, while checking in on Daniel every few minutes. Her eyes were watery, voice shaking, all signs of her body screaming out in fear for both her granddaughter and son. That same day, she started the process of moving in, and they never spoke of that day for a few years.

The second month brought on some changes that needed to be done. Daniel could no longer stay home, his eyes would move over the photos and the wounds would open again. Recovery was near impossible surrounded by so much of _her_ , even their daughter held traces of _her_ that had his hands hesitating from picking her up. His mother would look after Samantha while he went back to work, and, to help lighten the load of caring for a child, Mr. Miyagi had offered to help watch her as well. The two became Daniel’s sole support in caring for his daughter while he tried to pull himself back together. Grief has a way of poisoning everything it comes into contact with, and, in the vein of tragedy, the joys of fatherhood have been corrupted by its venom. Where he should feel joy at coming home to find his daughter laughing and babbling in the arms of his mother or Mr. Miyagi, instead he felt nothing.

Late at night, the sounds of Samantha crying would wake him from his dreams in a cold sweat as he was transported back to that hospital room. His hands would reach out next to him instinctively, and the cold touch of the bed would send him falling back into reality. Usually, his mother would wake up and check on Samantha, but tonight seemed to be different as her cries continued to echo out into the house. Daniel felt weighed down into bed, the energy to get up fleeting, but a voice in his head told him he needed to check on her. He listened to the voice and rose up.

In Samantha’s nursery, he found the wailing toddler in her crib. He hovered over her, unsure of what to do. His eyes roved over the room, looking for anything that might help calm her down. In the closet was where he found it, tucked away as if someone was trying to hide it, a little wrapped box with Samantha’s name written on it in _her_ handwriting. A part of him didn’t want to rip the wrapping paper apart, the writing like a frozen piece of time from a place where _she_ was still alive. That voice rose up again and chastised him. _Your daughter needs you. Your daughter needs her father, please, go to her._ With a pain in his heart, he tore it open and found an adorable pink elephant. Such a simple gift, in fact, he remembered the store where he saw it before, and, apparently, so had _she_. For a second, Daniel drifted into the memory it summoned, searching through aisles of baby products, his arm secured protectively around _her_. The nursery came back into focus, and, in his hands, he felt something in that toy: a connection that he wanted to share. He held the toy close, tears falling from his eyes. He went back to Samantha’s side and showed her the elephant, “Hey, look what I found, Sam. Your mom left you this, so I guess it would be rude if I didn’t make sure I hand deliver it to you.” He settled the toy into the crib, and Samantha’s eyes were zoned in on the pink fluffy thing, transfixed by the color. Her little hands reached out, grabby fingers opening and closing. Daniel watched, a small smile appearing on his face, as his daughter poked and rubbed over her _mother’s_ gift. In that moment, for what felt like months, the haze departed and he felt a flicker of warmth envelop him and finally understood the tears.

The third month Daniel finally decided to confront his problem. Grief would be his greatest enemy, and he wouldn’t dare succumb or lose to it anymore. The afternoon sun found him at _her_ grave with Mr. Miyagi, who quietly stood by his side and said, “Strength, Daniel-san.”

Daniel nodded, taking a deep breath, “Hey, I . . . I’m not sure what to say. There’s a lot to say about what happened, a lot I want to say to you, and I bet if you could see me now that you would have a lot to say to me. I’m trying to be a good father for Samantha, but I’m not sure I can be. My dad died when I was young, so, at least I knew him for a little bit, but Samantha won’t get that with you. All she’ll have of you will be what I tell her, but she,” he covered his mouth to stop the choking sob that wanted to come out, “she looks so much like you. Every time I look at her I see you and I want so badly for you to see her. Shit, what am I supposed to do?! How am I gonna raise our daughter alone? What am I supposed to tell her about you?!” His voice echoed around the empty cemetery. “I . . . miss you so much, and I’ve been a terrible father to our little girl. I’m sorry, I wished I could’ve done better, I should’ve fought harder, but I gave up and just let all of _this_ get to me.” His body shook violently, and he then felt a steady hand rest on his shoulder.

“Breathe, Daniel-san.”

Daniel took in a shaky breath, remembering the technique he was taught. Slowly, his heart steadied, and from the calming of the storm within his chest came the last memory he had of her that was buried.

_Daniel . . . please . . . take care of Samantha._

_Don’t talk like that, you’ll be there with me, right?_

_Honey, please . . . promise me you’ll tell her . . . how much I love her._

“I promise,” his voice broke, the tears flowing freely but without the same ferocity as before when her name finally slipped from his broken heart, “Amanda. I’ll make sure to show our little girl how much you loved her.”

Her name traveled into the air alongside his promise with each breath he took, and he felt the breeze against his skin as the pain ebbed away. Following the wind, letting it lead him home, he would find his daughter in his mother’s arm, and, all at once, he felt his heart fill back up again.

After that, for the days to come, the morning dawn would find Daniel cradling his daughter, telling stories of her mother. He would play with her using the pink elephant that would become her best friend for years to come, and the two would both smile. His heart would never perfectly mend, and his life would never be the same again. Days will come that will test him, but, sitting there while his daughter held the last gift her mother gave her, Daniel would reflect on how much he loved the last gift she gave him. In time, his heart would heal and love would rush back in and fill it to bursting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was tough to place, which is why I apologize for the rearranging of the chapter order. I just feel now in hindsight this should've been the proper chapter 2. At the time, I could only assume that I didn't want to bombard my readers with two heavy chapters back-to-back.


	3. In the market for some change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A chance meeting could help two wayward fathers find somebody to lean on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're looking for the third chapter, it is actually chapter 2. Sorry for the mixup, I explain myself in the endnotes of that chapter.

“Easy there,” Johnny spoke softly, readjusting his hold of Robby as the toddler wiggled around in protest for being carried. To say the transition to being a single parent has been easy would be a lie deserving a swift punch to the face with how stressed Johnny has been as of late.

When Shannon left there was changes that needed to be done right away. One of these changes almost had Johnny get into a fistfight with his boss because the guy wouldn’t give him days off without threatening to just fire him entirely. Even if it meant a smaller paycheck and a few times where he would have to work un-paid overtime, Johnny had to take the deal with his boss since he couldn’t afford to pay for a sitter along with groceries, rent, and whatever supplies Robby would need. Plus those days off would give him some quality time with his boy and free time to educate himself on child rearing.

The only source of information that Johnny has been relying on when it came to raising his son was a book that he and Shannon had bought together; granted, it was a book bought at a secondhand bookstore, but it offered some helpful tips despite Johnny not knowing what a bassinet is. One tip he’s been taking to heart is that physical contact is good for both parent and baby as it helps strengthen their bond, which was why Johnny was currently holding Robby instead of just keeping him in his carrier that he left back in his car. In hindsight, that might not have been a smart idea as his arm is already starting to get tired, and they were barely just about to start.

Robby was behaving so well, mostly because he was asleep earlier, but now he was starting to get fussy, making Johnny have to use both hands to help keep him calm. He thought about putting Robby into the cart, but, looking at the thin metal bars and how small the boy was, he quickly thought against it. As his son got more rowdy, small little whimpers coming out from him, Johnny couldn’t ignore the stares and side-glances he was getting from the other customers. Pushing his cart around with his hip, he could scarcely make out one conversation between these two uppity looking Hill types with matching overly faked tan skins and blindingly bright jewelry serving like a lighthouse for any wayward alpha douche looking for port. From their glances to him, it didn’t take much to imagine what they were talking about.

Ignoring them and everyone else who tossed them a glance, Johnny made his way down one of the aisles, trying to recall off the top of his head what he needed to get. He knows he needed to get more diapers, some baby powder, formula, but everything else was kind of muddled in his head from the late hours at work and the nights where Robby had kept him up. Running off of what felt like fumes, Johnny was determined to power through this and get home. It shouldn’t take that long to get a few things he figured, but as he came up to the baby supplies he discovered that maybe there was a bigger problem at hand as he looked at what he needed sitting steadily on the second shelf near the top: how does he get the diapers into his cart without the use of his hands?

Johnny tried to shift Robby over to one hand, but the toddler would throw a tantrum the moment he felt one of his hands leave him. Gently rocking back and forth afforded Johnny some time to use those critical thinking skills that he has been neglecting for the most part. A thought struck him and, double checking to make sure no one else was around, he felt it would work out. For a second he contemplated head-butting it into the cart, but figured that would be too dangerous for his little passenger, so he settled on the most logical answer: he’ll kick it off.

At the time, this seemed pretty foolproof, not a single problem to be find in just using karate to solve the current situation, but, to those who function on decent hours of sleep could tell, there might be a few hiccups to be expected.

He took in a steady breath, hoping it’ll help blow off the dust on his training from years ago, and he started stretching, squatting down and up to help loosen those leg muscles. The motions of his squat had the added effect of entertaining Robby for a bit as he babbled happily. With one last breath, his leg shot up to the second to last top shelf. He could feel the strain in his groin from the angle, but he could start toeing off the diapers now, but he was quick to discover that he couldn’t move the rest of his leg though. Johnny was now stuck. A smidgen of panic did hit him, afraid that if he stayed like this with his leg in the air for too long that he would get injured, but then he heard a whistle that caught him off guard.

“Gee, it’s been a while since I seen a high kick like that. Have to say, your form is a little off, but not bad though,” the voice sounded appreciative, like he was marveling at the fact that some random stranger in a supermarket could perform such a feat. Johnny visibly froze in place once that cocky voice settled into his brain. It had been 18 years since that voice last spoke to him, and, turning, he came face-to-face with none other than Daniel LaRusso.

Daniel’s face was unreadable for a few seconds before breaking out into a bright smile, “Johnny! After all these years, I run into you here of all places. Crazy, how have you been?”

Johnny steadied himself, his other foot planted on the ground starting to shake, before squaring a look at Daniel, his brain coming up blank with a response, “Uh, you know, could be better.” He nods his head to his current predicament.

“Need some help there, big guy,” Daniel’s eyes shifted back and forth between him and the shelf.

“Yeah, maybe, mind just holding Robby?”

“Who?”

“My son,” Johnny says gesturing to the baby he was holding.

Daniel must’ve not noticed him as his eyes grew with surprise then wonderment as he leaned in to take in the little one, “Wow, he’s so small. How old is he?”

“About 5 months? I don’t know, look, are you just going to chat or are you actually going to help out, LaRusso?”

“Oh, right, sorry, I’ll just,” he reached out and, gently, Johnny handed his son over into his arms, who instantly cradled his head against his shoulder, lightly swaying to and fro to calm him. Johnny was actually taken aback at how easily Daniel took to holding Robby, most people who don’t have kids tend not to know how to properly hold a toddler, but he guessed Daniel could add that to his list of things he does so well, much to Johnny’s annoyance.

With his arms free, Johnny reached up and pulled off the diapers before hoisting his leg down. He groaned rubbing at the sore muscles and shaking out his leg to get the kinks out, and now he just had to deal with Daniel. Seeing him brought back a lot of memories from a time Johnny would rather forget, and he had enough going on in his life that a returning rival from his childhood was the last thing he wanted to deal with; of course though, when he was about to ask for his son back, he would find Robby sleeping soundly in Daniel’s arms.

Everything in Johnny was screaming at him to just take Robby and send Daniel off to whatever shit he had to do, but the more paternal side of him knew that Robby needed his sleep and it was stupid to disturb a sleeping child. So, he just groaned as Daniel gave him an apologetic look, “Sorry,” he whispered, “he kind of just passed out.”

“I don’t know what you’re apologizing to me for, you just volunteered to help me with the rest of my shopping,” Johnny said sharply as he pushed his cart down the aisle. He could sense that Daniel wanted to protest, but the sleeping baby in his arms must’ve made him second guess his options as he quietly tagged along. He trotted up to Johnny, “Could you at least help me out by getting some of the things I needed to get? The least you could do seeing how I helped you out.”

“We haven’t seen each other in years, LaRusso, and already you’re so demanding.”

“Only when I feel like I’m being taken advantage of.”

“Don’t blame me if you’re a sucker for doing the right thing.”

“Oh, please, Johnny, like you wouldn’t do the same.”

Johnny fell silent, reflecting on if he actually would. In all honesty, he knew that there was a part of him that would say no. That same part has been telling him this whole time to kick the shit out Daniel; a fire burning ever since that tournament in ’84 looking for something to crush, which has led to some poor life choices. One of those poor choices almost ended up abandoning Robby, but he was able to fight back against his inner demon and cling to his son. Slowly, he has been starting to recognize that part of himself and, for his son sake, grow from it and be better. Right now though, it was very tempting to just give into that side with Daniel being so close.

“Whatever, just tell me what you need,” Johnny spat out, his mood souring with every second passed with him. Looking him up and down, he could feel his own shortcomings amplified. The nice pressed shirt and pants clashed greatly against his own wrinkled jeans and graphic tee, and the cocky strut in his step spoke highly of a man that had his shit together compared to Johnny’s semi-hunched stance, and, from the look of that wedding band he was sporting, his love life seemed to be also doing pretty well.

Daniel paid no mind to the obvious attitude that Johnny was sporting, “I just need to get some baby formula and a few random things for the house.”

_Great, he even has a house, everything is going so great for LaRu-_ “Wait, you have a kid too?” Johnny glared at Daniel, who only turned and smiled proudly, radiating a love only fathers can showcase.

“Yeah, my little Sam, she’s about your son’s age,” his voice changed when he talked about his daughter; it became softer and affectionate. Johnny wondered if that is what he sounded like when he talked about Robby.

“Huh,” Johnny deadpanned.

“Crazy that we both had a kid around the same time, I’m sure you and your girlfriend have your hands full with this little guy,” he slowly turned to and fro rocking Robby back and forth as he slept, while the little one buried his tiny face into Daniel’s shoulder.

Johnny gulped, a shudder passing through him, the urge to bark out an insult instantaneous, but he swallowed down that feeling quickly, “Yeah.” Was his situation even worth mentioning? This was Daniel LaRusso after all, mister has-it-all-going-on himself, what would he know of the issues of being a single parent. Bet his loving wife was back home now taking care of their daughter, waiting patiently for her husband to come back to their perfect little life in their perfect little home. At the same time, to raise a child on your own, to fight tooth and nail to earn enough to make sure that he was taken care of and keep a roof over their heads, that took a lot of strength and grit, something Johnny is sure Daniel knows jack-shit about.

Fuck it. “Actually, it’s just me in the picture right now.”

There was a non-surprising silence that followed as that seemed to be the reaction most people have when he tells them that, and Johnny could only imagine the look on Daniel’s face. Usually when people find out about his situation he always gets a look of sympathy or pity. Bullshit responses he could care less to get. He turned to see what face he got today, but, he was surprised by the look on Daniel’s face. His eyes sparkled in admiration, and the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips was unexpected.

“I . . .,” Daniel shook his head, muttering something under his breath before saying, “that’s so amazing you’ve been taking care of him on your own. Being a single dad can be pretty rough.” That last part, there was something genuinely sincere within those words. Johnny looked long and hard at Daniel, trying to see any trace of mockery, but he found nothing, just that honest smile of his looking at him as if he was part of some big secret.

Johnny only nodded in response, letting the subject end there, “So where’s your little girl? I figured you want to flaunt around the evidence that you once had sex.”

Daniel hip-checked him without missing a beat, “My beloved daughter is back home being watched over by my mother.”

_Still a short temper,_ thought Johnny playfully watching the man in question grin at him before making his way down another aisle.

The rest of the shopping was uneventful, Daniel unusually quiet for how Johnny remembered him. Time may have added a few more lines upon that face, but he could still see glimpses of that jerk kid he met in high school peaking out every now and then. These moments though were tamed with soft edges with no real bite behind them like they held back then.

At the checkout counter, while Johnny was paying for his groceries, Daniel was regaling him with tales of a trip he took to some foreign country after graduation; honestly, Johnny tuned him out a few aisles back as he didn’t want to give Daniel any form of attention that didn’t involve insulting him in some capacity.

“So, imagine that, 16 years old and I just had my life threatened. Sheesh, you think that wouldn’t happen till I’m at least 21, which it did. Funny story, it involved this one guy who I was able to talk into buying a car with a faulty engine because he was harassing some of my coworkers, and he just turned and pulled out this- oh hey there, you little sprout, finally decided to wake up?”

Johnny turned to find Daniel’s face lowered into a pair of tiny grabby hands that were reaching up at him. Robby was quiet, fingers sliding over the strange face in front of him that was smiling so wide out of curiosity. Soon the baby couldn’t help but mirror the smile and coo loudly, eliciting a laugh out of Daniel, “Look, I think he likes me, Johnny.”

A flare of jealousy lightly shot up Johnny’s spine at the sight of his karate rival bonding with his son. To break-up the sight, completely ignorant of the eyes upon the both of them as people gossiped about the two guys with a baby, Johnny gestured to Daniel’s groceries still sitting in the cart.

“Stop holding up the line, LaRusso.”

“Right, ok, back to your dad, Robby,” Daniel slowly transferred the smiling child into his father’s arms, but Robby's eyes were trained on Daniel, eyes glittering with fascination for a new friend. As Daniel paid for his supplies, Johnny tried really hard to ignore how his son’s arms reached out to Daniel, and the fact that he started getting rowdy again.

“Come on, Robby, don’t do your old man like that,” pleaded Johnny in a whisper to make sure no one could hear his shame. This should’ve been when he left, leaving Daniel to his own, but, for some reason he still couldn’t figure out for the weeks to come, he waited patiently, squirming toddler and all. Even Daniel seemed surprised to see him still waiting, but he didn’t comment and instead just led the way out of the store.

Johnny grimaced as Daniel walked up to a rather nice looking car, depositing his supplies in the passenger seat before turning and facing Johnny. He bit his lower lip, at a loss for what to say. His brows furrowed as if he was debating something, “Hey, Johnny, I know we had our issues in the past, but I like to think that’s where we can keep it. At least try to for his and my daughter’s sake.” He leaned forward, letting one of Robby’s little hands grab onto his finger, “I don’t want what we went through to happen to them, yeah?”

His arched brow was aimed at Johnny, hoping that the peace offering he was presenting was reciprocated. Johnny had to mull it over, really think about what he was agreeing to. Daniel LaRusso he held personally responsible for a lot things that went wrong with his life, and that nasty part of him wanted nothing more than to kick this little self-righteous twig into his fancy ass car. But the other voice spoke up, putting into his head images of Robby living a life where violence and hate followed him wherever he went. A terrible life just like his father, and Johnny swore that on the day he was left alone to raise his son that he wouldn’t let him live a life like his dad.

Looking at his former rival play with his laughing son, that tinge of jealousy fizzled out and he chose to be better for his boy, “I hear ya there, LaRusso. Don’t want my kid to be kicked in the head if I can help it.”

“Still sore about that, huh?”

“No, no, I’m totally over the illegal kick that landed you a win.”

“Yup, I can tell you’re over it,” teased Daniel as he reached into his pocked for his wallet, “here,” he shoved a card into one of Johnny’s grocery bags.

“What’s that?”

“My business card.”

“Oh come on, you have your own business?”

“Just opened a few months ago, so it’s not that big a deal.”

“Don’t think you can work your charm on me and sell me anything.”

“Wasn’t planning on it, originally, but I also have my personal cell number on that one I just gave you. Think of it as a late baby shower gift.” Daniel suddenly got serious, his brown eyes shimmering with honesty, “Look, I know how hard it can be to raise a kid alone. If you ever need help looking after Robby, please consider calling me to help. I have my mom and Mr. Miyagi helping out with Sam.”

Johnny didn’t miss the fact that his wife was absent from that list, but he wouldn’t press that topic here.

Daniel leaned down and spoke to Robby, “See ya around, sprout, you behave yourself with your dad.” He went over to the driver side, sending Johnny one last unreadable look, and said, “Good seeing you, Johnny, hope to catch up again soon.”

Johnny eyes followed Daniel as he drove off, leaving him alone to just himself and his son, who started whimpering a bit at the loss of the strange smiling man. He suddenly became aware of how quiet things were without anyone else to fill the silence. Johnny, with a contemplative look on his face, strapped Robby into his baby carrier in the back seat and loaded up the groceries, but the white business card stuck out to him. He snatched it up, looking it over, “ _LaRusso Autos_. Pfft, stupid name.”

His fingers went to fling the card away, but they froze instead.

_I don’t want what we went through to happen to them, yeah?_

His fingers tightened around the card before he shoved it into his back pocket without another thought. He roughly slammed the trunk shut and got into his car. As he drove away, he looked at Robby in his rearview mirror, who was pouting the whole ride home. “Don’t you be making faces at me; it’s your fault for falling for his charms.” And Johnny ignored the obvious question that was hanging in the air the moment he saw Daniel make Robby smile in the store: did I fall for his charms also?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how long I plan to make this fic, but I'll add to it when the whim hits me.
> 
> Thanks for reading ya'll!! Have a wonderful and happy day xoxo

**Author's Note:**

> SO here's the thing, I'm debating realllllyyyyy hard on what I want the next chapter to be about to the point I'm at an impasse with myself! 
> 
> Ugh, so, either the next chapter will be the REAL reason why I started this little fic, OR it'll be something centered around Daniel, and I'll leave it at that.
> 
> Till then, thanks for reading and have a lovely day xoxo


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